Tagged Questions

Literally "eighteen". Also called the "Amidah". The prayer consisting of 19 blessings, recited three times daily, and four times on Shabbat and Yom-Tov. It forms the backbone of all of the daily prayers.

If I have davened behind someone who davens faster than me, and he has consistently taken his three steps without waiting for me to finish (which he should not do), and seemingly does not mind taking ...

I know that my children are told in school that halakhah requires that they stand for the Shemoneh Esrei with their legs perfectly straight and their feet together with heels and toes touching, but I ...

To Pray as a Jew mentions that there is a condensed form of the Shemoneh Esrei which can sometimes be used in place of the full version. The condensed form was different than the Shabbat version of ...

When praying in a whisper, especially during the amidah (shmoneh esrei), does one have to stress the zayin ('z' sound)--which would make one sound like a buzzing bee to surrounding people--or is it ...

In one of these hopefully rare events, I’ve found myself needing to daven Shemoneh Esrei in a hotel lobby. I tried finding a quite place, only to realise mid-way one of the workers telling me I was ...

Are there rules/guidelines for how often to include a sick person in the refa’enu prayer in the amidah, and for how long to include them? Should one pray for that person every time one prays until one ...

I have read here that when finishing the Shemoneh Esrei one should first step back with his left foot to indicate that he is not excited about leaving G-d's presence. However, what does the halacha ...

There is a niggun, which I personally find rather inane, for the main paragraph of the second brachah of the Amidah. I have never been in a schul where it is not sung (. I have heard other niggunim ...

For someone praying the amiday by heart with eyes closed, what is the right way to hold your hands?
I know that the right hand should cover the left, but how exactly?
Can someone upload a diagram or ...

Before Birkas Kohanim, the Levi'im wash the Kohanim's hands. In many communities, this occurs during the chazzan's repitition of Shemoneh Esrei, and in a room outside the main shul.
Normally, there ...

On Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, the Shat"z says a short paragraph at the beginning of his repetition that starts with the words "מסוד חכמים ונבונים," which is an explanation for the insertion of extra ...

When we change to saying "mashiv haru'ach" one is required to recite the shmoneh esrei again if he is unsure if he made the insertion. This site points out that one becomes habituated after 30 days ...

If it is currently raining in your location and it is not the proper time to say mashiv haruach, should you say it anyways?
Mashiv haruach, unlike v'ten tal umatar, is a recognition of God's power to ...

Can you perform Melacha on Saturday night immediately when you finish אתה חוננתנו in Maariv motzei Shabbat, when you finish the bracha of חונן הדעת, or when you finish Shmoneh Esrei? It seems that אתה ...

There are generally two texts for the last bracha of Shmoneh Esrei - one beginning Sim Shalom, and one that starts Shalom Rav. There are different customs for when each is said.
If someone says the ...

The Bracha Chonen Hada'at seems to have an apparent contradiction regarding "binah".
The beginning of the blessing separates "da'at" from "binah" by implying that "G-d gives man graciously da'at and ...

When praying the Amidah at the second prayer of "Atá Gibor..." during summer one adds, "Morid hatal" between Pesach and Shemini Atseret; whereas in winter during Shemini Atseret and Pesach one adds, ...

At the beginning of Kedusha, the Chazzan says v'kara zeh el zeh v'amar. I've seen three types of chazzanim with regard to bowing left at the first zeh and right at the second:
bow left and right at ...

If one steps backward before the end of Shmoneh Esrei, (either because he mistakenly thought he was up to עשה שלום... for a second, or because someone bumped into him,) how should he precede with his ...

I understand that there is a halacha that we are not allowed to rely on miracles. (Don't recall source of that rule.) At the end of the "Modim" prayer we thank G-d for על נסיך שבל יום עמנו - "For the ...

I read somewhere that shtenders, chairs, tables and benches aren’t considered an interruption between the one davening and one passing before him unless the shtender is 10 טפחים tall by 4 טפחים wide. ...

During Shmoneh Esrei, i've always learned that the feet should be kept together, for whatever reason. However, lately i've noticed people who only keep their heels together, but not the rest of their ...